Motor-vehicle.



E. A. NELSON.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-17,1914.

Patented July 4, 1916.

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Illl. l l l l III! in i1 Nekson E. A. NELSON.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17, 1914.

1 ,1 89,284. Patented July 4, 1916.

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I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4', 1916.

Application filed December 17, 1814. Serial No. 877,653.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, EMIL A. .NELSON, a citizen of. the United States of America, residing at Ronville, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved chassis construction and suspension for motor vehicles, and its object is to'provide a construction wherein the maximum of flexibility of running gear is secured and the,

low member rigidly secured to the motor. 'and extended rearwardly therefrom in the longitudinal center. line of the vehicle to a single point of spring support upon the rear axle, with the load carrying body or frame mounted directly thereon; the invention further consisting in certain other new and useful features in the construction and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts in section, of a motor vehicle running gear and chassis embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional detail substantially upon the line az-aa of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a similar section upon the line y-y of Fig. 2 with a portion of a vehicle body shown in section; Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of a load carrying member; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of said member with a drive shaft and torque tube in place therein; and Fig. 7 is an endelevation of Figs. 1 and 2.

In the drawings, A indicates a front axle provided with steering wheels B, and C is a rear axle casing formed intermediate its ends with a differential casing D and provlded with traction drive wheels E, all constructed and arranged in an old and well known manner.

An engine or motor which may be of any preferred design, is indicated at F and this motor is preferably-formed with a laterally extending flange 1 to engage a seat or flange 2 provided therefor upon the forward forked end of a load carrying member 3, said flange being bolted or otherwise detachably secured to its seat to hold the engme in place upon the carryingmember. The side arms 4: of the forked end of the carrying member extend forwardly adjacent .to each side of the engine casing and suitable brackets 5 are secured to their outer sldes, to which brackets suitable leaf springs 6 are rigidly secured in any suitable I manner and extend forwardly and laterally or diagonally outward to points of attachment to the front axle near its ends. These springs thus yieldingly support the front end of the member 3 with the engine seated therein and form the only connection between said axle and load carrying member, at the same time serving as radius or brace members to hold said axle at right angles to the longitudinal center line of said carrying member and the central vertical plane of the vehicle.

The flange 1 extends across the rear end of the engine casing above the rear bearing for the crank shaft and the seat therefor so that the rear bearing and projecting end of the crank shaft of the engine will come within the horizontal plane of the supporting member.

Rearwardly of its forked forward end, I

the supporting member is of inverted U- shape in cross section thus combining great strength with extreme lightness and cheapness of manufacture, said member being preferably formed of sheet metal, and this channel construction also provides a housing for the driving shaft 7 which is connected to the rear end of the engine crank shaft, (not shown) and extends rearwardly within said channel to a bearing 8 provided therefor upon a transverse wall or member 9 within the channel. .This wall also car-' -whicl'1 forms a part of the torque member.

v The entire thrust of the traction wheels is thus taken by the cross member 9 in the carrying member 3, at the longitudinal center line of the vehicle, and'as the torque memher is connected to the carrying member by means ofthe ball and socket connection, the

axle is free to rise and fall or "tilt relative to said member without putting any twisting strain thereon.

The rear end portion 13 of the carrying member 3 is tapered and curved upwardly and rearwardly, thence downwardly at its extreme end to extend upwardly and over the differential casing D. To the downward rear end of the member is secured a leaf spring 14 intermediate the ends of the spring by means of a spring clip 15 or in any suitable manner with said spring extending parallel with and at a short distance to the rear of the axle casing C and its ends pivotally connected in any suitable manner as by helices 16 on the ends of the spring, to the axle adjacent the traction wheels. The load carrying member is thus yieldingly supported in the longitudinal center line of the vehicle at its rear end by the transverse spring which in turn is carried by the ends of the axle, and the rear end portion 13 of said member is also formed inverted U-shape in cross section to give strengthand provide clearance for the diiferential casing.

Secured in any suitable manner to the lower edges of the channel portion of the load carrying member 3, is a plurality of transverse body sills or floor members 17 of a length to extend the full width of the body 18, and these sills also project beneath and support the running boards 19 at the sides of the body. The floor 20 of the body is laid directly upon these sills at each side of the supporting member 3 'and thus the entire load is carried but slightly above the torque, twisting and other strains are transmitted directly to said member 3 at the longitudinal medial vertical plane of the vehicle and as the body-is supported solely by this member which forms the backbone of the vehicle, said body is relieved of all strains which would tend to twist and rack it. Because of this load supporting back-v I bone and the manner in which it is suspended from the axles, the sudden jolts and jars incident to the wheels passing over road obstructions, will not be transmitted to the body in such a manner as to shock or cause discomfort to the occupants, as all motion andvibration is carried to the center supporting member or backbone and the spring resisted rocking motion of the body 1s enhanced by the overhang of the body at each side of this center support.

The necessity for heavy side frame members for supporting the body is obviated by the center supportingmember construction and thus the floor of the body may be lowered, giving a lower center of gravity and easy access to the body, at the same time greatly reducing the cost of manufacture and permitting the front steering wheels to be turned without hindrance.

Obviously many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not therefore limit myself to the construction shown.

What I claim is 1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front axle and a rear axle, of a single load carrying member extending longitudinally of the vehicle in the vertical plane of the medial line thereof and having two places of support at its front end upon said front axle to rigidly hold the axle at right angles to said plane, said member being tapered rearwardly and extended over the rear axle, a transverse spring on the rear axle connected intermediate its ends to the rear end of said member and forming asingle place of support for the rear end of 'said member and a single member rigidly secured to the rear axle extending forwardly therefrom to a point of connection with said member and having a universal connection therewith.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front axle and a rear axle, of a single load carrying member extending longitudinally of the vehicle in the vertical plane of place of support at its rear end upon the rear axle, and springs rigidly secured to said member near its front end and extended forwardly to points of connection with the front axle, said springs serving to yieldingly support the load and form brace and connecting members to hold the axle in proper-relation to said member.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front axle and a rear axle, of a'single load carrying member extending longitudinally of the vehicle in the vertical plane of the medial line thereof and having a single place of support at its rear end upon the rear axle, and leaf springs rigidly secured to said member near its forward end andextending forwardly and outwardly from each side thereof to points of connection with the front axle adjacent the ends of said axle, said springs forming the sole support for the front end of the load carrying member andserving to connect said axle with said member and holding it at right angles to the longitudinal center line of said member.

4. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front and a rear axle, of a single load carrying member formed from sheet metal and having a longitudinally extending body portion at the medial line of the vehicle which is formed of inverted U-shape in cross section, means for closing the lower side of said member throughout a portion of its length to house motion transmitting means, means for yieldingly supporting the rear end of said member upon the rear axle,

and means on the rear axle extending forwardly into said open side of said member and having connection therewith to hold said axle in right angular position relative to said member.

5. In a motorvehicle, the combination with a front axle and a rear axle, of a single hollow load carrying member supported by said axles at the medial line of the vehicle and formed with a forked forward end, an engine seated within the forked forward end of said member, and power transmitting means supported within the member for transmitting motion from the engine to the rear axle.

6. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front axle and. a rear axle, of a single load carrying member extending in the longitudinal vertical plane of the medial line of the vehicle and formed with an upwardly curved rear end projecting over the rear axle, means for supporting the forward end of the member upon the front axle, and a transverse spring connected to the rear axle and positioned rearwardly of the longitudinal vertical plane of said axle and secured to the-rear end of said member intermediate its ends.

In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front axle and a rear axle, of a single hollow load carrying member supported at I its forward end upon the front axle and extending rearwardly therefrom in substantially the vertical plane of the medial line of the vehicle and in the horizontalplane of the rear axle, a motor mounted upon the forward end of the said member, said member being formed at its forward end to embrace the crank case of said motor and form a support therefor, power transmitting vmeans carried within said member for transmitting motion from the motor to the rear axle, and

means for yieldingly supporting the rear end of the member upon the rear axle, the rear end portion of said member being extended upwardly and over thle rear axle to give clearance and permit of a vertical movement of said member relative to the axle.

8. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front axle and a rear axle, of a single load carrying member supported at its forward end upon the front axle and formed of inverted U-shape in cross section with the forward end-portion to embrace and form a seat for a motor, a motor on said forward end portion of said member, a transverse spring carried by the rear axle at the rear side of the vertical longitudinal plane there of and secured intermediate its ends to the rear end of the load carrying member which is curved upwardly and over the axle with a clearance between said end and said axle, and means within the load carrying member for transmitting motion from the motor to the rear axle.

9. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front axle and a rear axle, of a single hollow load carrying member supported at its forward end upon the front axle and extending rearwardly therefrom in substantially the medial line of the vehicle and the horizontal plane of the rear axle, said member having an upwardly curved and rear wardly extended end portion projecting over the rear axle, a torque member on the rear axle, a universal connection between the forward end of the torque member and said load carrying member within the hollow portion of said member, means for yieldingly supporting the rear end of the load carrying member upon the rear axle, a motor carried by the forward end of the load carrying member and means for transmitting power from the motor to the rear axle within the load carrying member and torque member.

10. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front axle and a rear axle, of a load carrying member supported by said axles in a longitudinal vertical plane of the medial line of the vehicle and substantially in the horizontal plane of the axles, transverse -members secured to the lower side of the nally thereof and below the horizontal lane of said axles, and a body secured to sald trans- .verse members with the load carryin member projecting above the horizontal p ane of the bottom of said body.

11, In a motor vehicle, the combination with a front axle and a rear axle, of a single load'carrying member. extending longitudiin the vertical plane of the medial line of the vehicle, and formed with a seat for a motor at its forward end, and an upwardly and rearwardly extending rearend, a motor secured upon saidseat, means'for yieldingly supporting the forward end of the load carr ing member upon the .front axle, means or yieldingly supporting the rear end of the load carrying member upon the rear axle with the curved rear end of said member spaced from the upper side of said axle, means within said member includmg a universal oint for transmlttlng' motion from said motor, andmeans extending outside of said member for transmitting motion from said universal joint to said rear axle cured to the rear end of said member intermediate its ends, said rear end of said load carrying member being extended upwardly and over the rear axle, transverse members secured to the lower side of the load carry- :ing member, and a body secured to said transverse members.

In testimony'whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. EMIL A. NELSON. Witnesses:

v G. E. MoGnANN, L. E. 'FLANnERs. 

